Sending requests
Methods, headers, bodies, authentication and the response viewer — everything on the request screen.
The request bar#
Method, URL, Send. The URL bar accepts {{variables}}, and a long URL scrolls rather than being cut off — select it and copy and you get the variables back as {{name}}, not their values.
Headers#
- Open the Headers tab.Each row is a name, a value, and a checkbox.
- Untick a row instead of deleting it.An unticked header is kept but not sent — useful for one you need occasionally.
Content-Type is set to application/json automatically when you send a body and have not set it yourself.
Request bodies#
| Type | Use it for |
|---|---|
| JSON | Most APIs. Formatted and validated as you type. |
| Form | application/x-www-form-urlencoded submissions. |
| Multipart | File uploads, mixed fields and files. |
| Raw | XML, plain text, or anything you want sent byte for byte. |
| GraphQL | Query and variables in separate panes — see the GraphQL tab. |
Authentication#
Set an Authorization header directly, or use an auth profile so that a token lives in one place instead of in thirty requests.
- Open Workspace → Auth Profiles.Create a profile — Bearer, Basic, API key, OAuth 2.0, AWS SigV4 or HMAC.
- Select it on the request's Auth tab.Rotating a credential is then one edit rather than a search across the workspace.
Reading the response#
- Status, time and size across the top — the three numbers you check first
- Body formatted by content type, with JSON collapsible
- Headers exactly as received
- Assertions if the request has any, passed or failed with actual against expected
Generating client code#
- Press the code button beside Send.The request is rendered as cURL, fetch, axios, Python or Go.
- Copy it.Variables are resolved using the active environment, so what you copy is what runs.
Frequently asked questions#
How do I send a file in a request?
Choose the Multipart body type, then add a field and select a file. You can mix file fields and text fields in the same request.
Why is my Authorization header not working?
Check the active environment actually defines the variable the header references. An unresolved {{token}} is sent literally rather than blanked, and appears as a warning, so a 401 with braces visible in the header means the variable was not found.